Ziina and Visa Launch UAE’s First Digital Card Linking Instant Payments to Instant Spending

Technology

Ziina and Visa Launch UAE’s First Digital Card Linking Instant Payments to Instant Spending

In a major step toward transforming everyday money movement in the UAE, Ziina, the licensed fintech platform known for simplifying how people and businesses get paid, has launched the Ziina Card, its first digital card powered by Visa.

The new card—available directly within Apple Wallet—instantly converts a user’s Ziina balance into immediate spending power, allowing both individuals and businesses to use funds the moment they are received. This marks a major milestone for Ziina, making it the only licensed UAE startup offering acquiring, issuing, and expense management under one platform.

“We’ve always believed that financial services should adapt to how people actually live and work,” said Faisal Toukan, Co-Founder and CEO of Ziina. “Ziina Card is the natural evolution of that vision—your money, always accessible, working the way you need it to.”

Through its partnership with Visa, the Ziina Card ensures global acceptance, enterprise-grade security, and exclusive rewards for users. Salima Gutieva, Vice President and UAE Country Manager for Visa, noted:

“Ziina’s Visa card is a great example of how innovation can deliver faster, simpler, and more secure payment experiences for consumers and businesses alike.”

A Complete Cash Flow Ecosystem for SMEs and Freelancers

SMEs make up 94% of companies in the UAE and contribute more than 63% of GDP, yet many still face cash flow bottlenecks due to delayed payments. Ziina Card addresses this challenge by giving businesses real-time access to incoming funds to pay suppliers, manage purchases, and control expenses—all within a single licensed platform.

Every transaction includes enriched merchant-level data, improving accounting accuracy and financial transparency. Businesses also gain access to exclusive Visa-backed rewards—including discounts on Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Adobe Acrobat Pro, Freshworks, SignEasy, and Zendesk—empowering SMEs to digitize and scale efficiently.

Seamless Spending for Everyday Users

For individuals, Ziina Card makes every dirham instantly usable. Whether it’s receiving a transfer from friends or payments from clients, users can tap to pay with Apple Pay anywhere Visa is accepted. Each transaction within the Ziina app retains its social and contextual details, allowing users to see the who, what, and why behind every expense.

The new card builds on Ziina’s earlier rollout of Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android, introduced in April 2025, enabling merchants to accept contactless payments without traditional POS hardware. Together, the two products complete Ziina’s end-to-end ecosystem—helping users accept, manage, and spend money instantly.

With this launch, Ziina reinforces its position as the UAE’s homegrown financial partner, driving innovation across the country’s fast-evolving digital economy.